Arizona Diamondbacks announce 2-year deal for catcher Alex Avila

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Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila throws to first base to complete a double play against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the eighth inning of a baseball game in Detroit, Tuesday, June 13, 2017.(Photo: Paul Sancya, AP)

A week before the winter meetings, the Diamondbacks lost catcher Chris Iannetta to the rival Colorado Rockies, watching as he signed a two-year, $8.5 million deal as a free agent. On Wednesday, the Diamondbacks finalized a deal with Iannetta’s apparent replacement, Alex Avila, who received a two-year, $8.25 million commitment.

The turn of events begs the question: For as pleased as the Diamondbacks seemed to be with the work of their catchers last season, why didn’t they just bring Iannetta back, what with the price being basically the same?

Iannetta signed in the first week of December, which, in this historically slow-moving offseason market, turned out to be quite early. At that point, the Diamondbacks were exploring other options at the catching position – trade options, to be specific – players that they hoped would serve as more long-term answers.

Hazen didn’t say it specifically, but the club reportedly was interested in J.T. Realmuto, the Marlins’ young, talented and relatively affordable catcher who, like seemingly everyone else in Miami, is a trade candidate. The Diamondbacks could have had interest in any number of other young catchers whose availability was less publicly known.

The Diamondbacks, according to a source, made a two-year offer to Iannetta worth $4 million. Going higher than that, at that point in time, apparently was not something the Diamondbacks were comfortable doing.

“We still had to remain open to addressing our long-term catching for the organization, whether that was immediately at the major-league level or sort of slightly underneath that,” Hazen said. “And so making that ($8 million-plus) commitment that early in the offseason would have more or less shut off, in our minds, our ability to continue to go out there and look for long-term (solutions) at the major-league level, via trade specifically.”

Hazen noted that the Diamondbacks liked Avila and knew he was available on the free-agent market, and thus took a “sort of calculated risk” that they could exhaust their trade options and, should those stall, circle back on Avila.

“This was where we ended back,” Hazen said. “I’m very happy with how it ended.”

Avila, 31, is coming off a strong offensive season last year, when he hit .264/.387/.447 for the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs, who acquired him at the trade deadline. He’ll be an offensive-minded, left-handed-hitting complement to Jeff Mathis, the Diamondbacks’ defense-first incumbent behind the plate.

Avila has been a productive hitter among catchers for most of his career, but he does not grade well in pitch-framing numbers. The Diamondbacks were focused on their catchers’ defense last season, crediting them for the pitching staff’s improvement, but apparently feel Avila’s offensive production is worth a possible sacrifice in that department.

They also believe there is room for Avila to improve, Hazen said, citing his “good hands” and his work ethic as reasons why his framing could see an uptick. Perhaps just as important, Hazen said the club sees Avila’s leadership and ability to run a game as positive attributes.

“The one thing that really stood out to me that he said was these guys are ready, they are hungry, they want to win,” Avila said. “Everything he said kind of checked off my boxes and got me excited about the opportunity.”

To make room on the 40-man roster, the club designated outfielder Rey Fuentes for assignment. That means the club has four catchers – Avila, Mathis, Chris Herrmann and John Ryan Murphy – on the 40-man, with both Herrmann and Murphy out of minor-league options. Hazen intimated the club is likely to carry three catchers on the roster.

Hazen said the Diamondbacks aren’t finished, noting that the club is “still engaged in the outfield (market).”